Iron



Patented May 3o, 1939 UNITED A STATES y animar" IRON Julius x. sebo, staten muoia, N. r., miran-to Americarrlluih & Velvet Prcssboard Co. Inc New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application my is. 193s. semi No. maar 6 Claims.

This invention relates to irons of -the type for steaming, glazing or ironing-furs and other materials requiring such treatment. i

It has been suggested to generate steam in an iron or to supply steam to it and discharge some of the steam through perforations in the bottom of the iron. An objection to this proposal has been the discharge of a quantity of'water onto the work both during operation of the iron and in starting because there is substantial condensation.

An object of this invention has been to eliminate this disadvantage and preclude an objectionable amount of water reaching the work.

Another object has been to superheat the steam in the iron so that dry steam is delivered to the work.

Yet another object is to'provide an absorbent material for any condensed steam to reduce the danger of its reaching-the work in objectionable quantity. v

A further object is to provide a. finely perforate medium such as a pressing cloth or its equivalent carried by the iron and through which steam is distributed over the work in a vsatisfactory manner.

Specifically, dry steam is spread through a removable supporting frame over which a woven flexible fabric, like canvas, is stretched so that the steam passes through the interstices between the warp and weft threads and onto the work.

Any condensed moisture is absorbed in the fabric.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device of Fig. 1 with parts of the fabric and its supporting frame broken away.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the iron of Fig. 1

with the casing removed and parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment of this". V

`tions 2l through which the steam may pass.

invention as viewed from the bottom with the parts broken away.

The iron illustrated includes a lower portion (ores-zzz) clamped over the upper port contiguous the lower portion Il. The lower portion i! is provided with a hollow space il extending entirely around the central recessed portionA shown in Fig. l.

Steam is supplied to the rear of the lower por- 5 tion, passes around the hollowv space i1 to the perforate bolt orI other securing means is and into the hollow space il of the upper portion I i. The steam circulates through the upper portion as shown in'Figs. 1 and 3 and then passes i0 out and downwardly through the hollow bolt or other fastening means Il into a space 2i below the lower portion il and above a bottom frame over which a woven fabric material isplaced. kSteam issuing from the securing means 2li strikes ll the deilector or distributor plate 22 for the purpose of spreading it forwardlyand' laterally. A flexible tube leading from some type ofsteam generator is connected to the nipple 23 and leads into and around the lower portion of the n iron. Since the iron is frequently held in a substantially vertical position any condensed steam is" returned to the boiler or other-generator through the outlet 24 by another flexible connection not shown. In passing through the iron the steam is superheated by contact with the walls, especially the upper wall in the lower portion4 and with the walls of the upper portion by reasonl of these walls being heated from vthe rel sistance wire i3 placed between them. The heat a imparted to the steam by this heating element is suiiiclent to slightly superheat or make the steam dry. yetnot enough to substantially raise'the pressure of the steam as otherwise the super- `heated steam might iiow back through the condensation return' 2Q which of course is not ln- Y fjsecured beneath the lower portion il is a' *gi'rame 25 and over this trame is stretched' a woven fabric material like canvas :28. .The frame includes the cast aluminum member 21 proivided therein with a large Anumber oi' perfora- Projecting outwardly from the body portion of the frame lare a number of projections 2l which serve as abutments for a metal mesh Il, the

mesh serving as an abutment for the fabric' between the projections 2l. To increase the thickness cf thefabric and providean excellent inner absorptive surface, a layer oi' soft nannel w 3i is placed between the -mesh 3l and the canvas 26. The frame has an upwardly extending boss 32 threaded to receive the supporting and clamping screw I8- having a head which is received-and held by a threaded sleeve Il passing u through the casing I5, through the upper portion il and threaded into the lower portion l0. The threads of the screw 33 do not engage the sleeve 34. A cap 35 is threaded over the enlarged head of the sleeve 34.

The hollow bolts I3 and 20 are made accessible for insertion and replacement by having the upper wall of the upper portion Il provided with large enough perforations to insert a. socket wrench and these perforations are closed by threaded caps 36 and 31, which may be held in -place by white lead or `other means to prevent escape of steam. p

When the frame 25 is securely held by tightening the screw 33 it will be seen in Fig. 1 that the frame and canvas are contiguous the lower edges of the lower portion I0, these edges serving to clamp the fabric at- 38 to the frame.

In Fig. 5 the frame and fabric bottom portion .do not extend over the entire lower surface of the iron as is the case in Figs. 1 and 2 but are of smaller area countersunk within a recess 33 of the bottom of the iron so that the fabric 4U covering its supporting frame may be substantially flush or on a level with the edge portions 4I which are of polished metal. The edge portions 4I not being covered with canvas are adapted to perform an ordinary ironing operation while the fabric and frame serve to distribute moisture. The construction of the type shown in Fig. 5 is believed to be better adapted to perform any one of an ironing, steaming, or glazing operation than the device of Figs. 1 and 2. As shown in Fig.l 2 since the fabric covers the entire lower surface of the iron this construction is notas well adapted for ironing as is that of Fig. 5 but is suitable for steaming and glazing. The supporting frame for the fabric in Fig'. 5 is ot-the same general conlstruction and possesses the same means of attachment as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rest of the iron is the same as thatshown in Fig. 1. There is a ledge 42 against which the frame and fabric are clamped.

Among the advantages ofjthis invention may be mentioned the lessened danger of water get- Y .ting onto the goods since the ,steam is dry. and

slightly superheated. Any moisture which might collect on the work by reason of `itsbeing colder than the steam should be absorbed by the fabric bottom portion. In one aspect this invention may be regarded as the provision of an iron with which no ordinary pressing cloth is needed since such cloth or its equivalent is carried by the iron itself. Care is to be taken in seeing that the electric heater does not raise the temperature of the steam and its pressure enough to cause any substantial loss of dry steamy through the condensation return pipe 24. Devices of the type illustrated use only about one and one-half (l1/2) gallons of water an hour during'operation.

1. The combination with an iron, of an electric heater therein, tortuous uid passages around said heater, Va removable' pressing-clothv supporting frame in the bottom''f the ir'on to which the heated iiuid is delivered, and fastening means for said frame passing through the iron and accessible fromthe top of the iron for removal of said frame.

leading to the iron from an outside source of v steam, an outlet for water 'of condensation by gravity from the iron and leading back to the source of steam supply, a tortuous passage for the steam within the iron, an electric heater for superheating the steam within the iron, a nely perforate moisture absorbent fabric on the bottom of the iron, means for distributing the heated steam over said fabric so that it may pass to the work, the size of said heater being such that the steam is substantially dried out and superheated slightly whereby to avoid any substantial increase in pressure of steam in the iron causing loss of steam out the water outlet and avoid the necessity fora safety valve in the iron. 4. An iron including a body portion, a heater therein, means for supplying fluid to the iron, a perforate bottom plate, an absorbent fabric extending over the perforate portion of said plate, means for clamping said plate to the body portion of said iron and also clamping edge portions of said fabric between the said plate and the body portion of said iron to hold the fabric in place.

5. An iron containing a steam receiving chamber, a heater contiguous said chamber, means for emitting 'steam from said chamber and super-.

heating the same after leaving said chamber, a fabric covered bottom portion through which superheated steam may be supplied to the goods being treated. a steam supply pipe connected to the rear portion of said chamber, an outletpipe also connected to the rear portion of said chamber and laterally spaced from said supply pipe, said superheating means being adapted for only slight heating whereby no Valves are required in said iron and no excessive loss of superheated steam occurs out the steam outlet pipe.

6. A pressing iron comprising a central body portion having a central steam chamber with an inlet and an outlet, an upper body member having an upper steam chamber, an electric heater mounted between said body members, a frame member having a perforated bottom secured beneath said central body member, said central body member and said frame member having a lower steam chamber between them, tubular members securing said body members together, one of said tubular members providing a passage for steam to pass from the central body steam JULIUS K. SEBO. 

